Gene Hodkin, who was born and married in the Route 66 town of Carthage, Mo., and also resided in the Mother Road town of Barstow, Calif., died at age 95 on April 25, according to the Desert Dispatch in Barstow. An excerpt in a 2009 story about Gene and Clara Hodkin's 70th wedding anniversary details his … Continue reading Lifelong resident of Route 66 dies
Category: People
A note from the past
Greene HD Productions has posted another episode of "Route 66: The Marathon Tour." This one, which starts in Chicago, is going to be bittersweet for a many longtime roadies. First, it contains an interview with Zora Vidas, longtime owner of the historic Wishing Well Motel in Countryside, Ill. Vidas died a few years ago, and … Continue reading A note from the past
A tour in the Mother Road’s midsection
This episode from Greene HD Productions is from the "Route 66: The Marathon Tour" DVD box set. The segment goes from Erick, Okla., to Adrian, Texas, with small snippets of other sights on Route 66 in the beginning. https://vimeo.com/22500537
Pontiac plans for a Waldmire Weekend
Pontiac, Ill., has a variety of activities planned for the Illinois Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor Festival on May 7-8, but the big events will center around late Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire. According to a news release today by Pontiac Tourism, Waldmire's school-bus home will be open to the public for the first time. … Continue reading Pontiac plans for a Waldmire Weekend
Final auction of Roy Rogers Museum items is next week
The final items of memorabilia of the now-closed Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum will be auctioned April 9 in New Braunfels, Texas, according to a press release today. Roy Rogers, the long-acknowledged king of the Hollywood cowboys, and his co-starring wife Dale once operated their museum off Route 66 in Victorville, Calif. Amid declining … Continue reading Final auction of Roy Rogers Museum items is next week
From the trail of “End of the Trail”
Dan Rice of 66 to Cali on the Santa Monica Pier is traveling down Route 66 to the Midwest to promote his new book, "End of the Trail." Here's his interview yesterday with host Pat Campbell on KFAQ-AM in Tulsa. Rice mostly talks about his recovery from traumatic brain injury, but he also talks about … Continue reading From the trail of “End of the Trail”
California 66 museum volunteers nominated as “most inspiring”
Two volunteers at the California Route 66 Museum in Victorville, Calif., have been nominated as the 2011 Most Inspiring Women by the city's Daily Press newspaper. Charlotte “Chick” Kirk and Betty Halbe were nominated together, and apparently are such a strong combination, they have a nickname. Some may have never heard of a Chickanbetty, but … Continue reading California 66 museum volunteers nominated as “most inspiring”
Bob Waldmire’s old car acquired by Henry’s Rabbit Ranch
Rich Henry, owner of Henry's Rabbit Ranch on Route 66 in Staunton, Ill., recently acquired a 1967 Volkswagen station wagon once used by Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire, who died of cancer in December 2009. Henry says the car will be displayed on his property, where other large Route 66 memorabilia have found a home. … Continue reading Bob Waldmire’s old car acquired by Henry’s Rabbit Ranch
66-to-Cali owner going on a book publicity tour
Dan Rice, owner of the 66-to-Cali souvenir booth on the Santa Monica Pier, will start a book-publicity tour next week for his new biography, "End of the Trail." "End of the Trail" (The Way Things Are Publications, 242 pages, $24.95 retail) tells of Rice's eight-year ordeal to recover from traumatic brain injury incurred during an … Continue reading 66-to-Cali owner going on a book publicity tour
Mystery solved on the Texola monument
Longtime readers may remember Corkey Mayberry of Park Hills, Mo., and his search for a Texas-shaped monument that greeted westbound Route 66 travelers in Texola, Okla., right on the Texas border. Mayberry and his wife had their photo taken at the monument in 1955, seen above. On a Route 66 trip in 2010, Mayberry tried … Continue reading Mystery solved on the Texola monument